The Genitive Case. Letting One Nominal Modify Another. A lesson for the Paideia web-app Ian W. Scott, 2015

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1 The Genitive Case Letting One Nominal Modify Another A lesson for the Paideia web-app Ian W. Scott, 2015

2 The Genitive Case The "genitive case" is another role a nominal can play in a clause We have actually learned this already! The "possessive" pronouns are actually the genitive form of personal pronouns possession is only one idea the genitive case can convey The genitive case nominal is somehow related to the lead nominal nom. gen. Masc. or Fem. ἐγω (ἐ)μου voc. - Masc. or Fem. nom. gen. συ σου voc. - Masc. Fem. Neut. nom. αὐτος αὐτη αὐτο gen. αὐτου αὐτης αὐτου voc

3 The Genitive Case The genitive nominal is somehow related to the lead nominal Possession is one kind of genitive relationship ὁ πατηρ μου αὐτης ὁ οἰκος the father related to me. the house related to her my father her house

4 Genitive Case Endings 2 nd decl. -υ masculine 1 st decl. -ς feminine -ος 3 rd decl. 2 nd decl. -υ neuter

5 Genitive Case Endings 2 nd decl. -ου masculine 1 st decl. -ης -ας feminine -ος 3 rd decl. 2 nd decl. -ου neuter

6 Genitive Case Examples 2 nd decl. λογου masculine πατρος 1 st decl. ἀδελφης θυρας feminine παιδος ἰχθυος 3 rd decl. 2 nd decl. τεκνου neuter πολεως

7 Genitive Definite Article Some α-pattern 1 st declension nouns switch to η in the genitive Retain the α if stem ends in ε, ι, ρ Otherwise switch to η in the genitive Switch to η Retain α nom. δοξα οἰκια θυρα Μαρια gen. δοξης οἰκιας θυρας Μαριας voc. δοξα οἰκια θυρα Μαρια

8 Genitive Definite Article Τ + 1 st or 2 nd declension genitive endings Same forms regardless of declension Article agrees with nominal s gender Even if an unusual declension used E.g., ἡ ὁδος, της ὁδου Feminine article always uses η E.g., της Μαριας Masc. Fem. Neut. nom. ὁ ἡ το gen. του της του voc

9 Comparing the Case Forms Masc. (2 nd decl.) Fem. (1 st decl.) Neut. (2 nd decl.) nom. ὁ λογος nom. ἡ ἀδελφη nom. το τεκνον gen. του λογου gen. της ἀδελφης gen. του τεκνου voc. - λογε voc. - ἀδελφη voc. - τεκνον 3 rd decl. nom. ὁ πατηρ gen. του πατρος voc. - πατερ

10 The Meaning of the Genitive Case Genitive nominals modify other nominals (usually) "lead nominal" = the one being modified "genitive nominal" = the one in the genitive case The genitive nominal is somehow related to the lead nominal A lot of ways the two things might be related! Can t translate until you ve decided what the relation must be. ὀνομα μου a name related to me my name πατηρ Μαριας a father related to Maria Maria s father καρπος του δενδρου a fruit related to the tree a fruit from the tree

11 A First Rough Approach Textbooks often encourage you to use of as a default translation Better: Put the genitive word directly in front of the lead nominal Genitive word in front Of with genitive word του δουλου ὁ κυριος the slave master the master of the slave ὁ πατηρ Μαριας the Maria father the father of Maria καρπος του δενδρου a tree fruit a fruit of the tree

12 A Second, Proper Translation Identify the particular relationship behind this genitive Must be inferred from context του δουλου ὁ κυριος ὁ πατηρ Μαριας καρπος του δενδρου the master who owns the slave Maria s father a fruit from the tree

13 Genitive of Relationship L has a personal relationship with G Translate with an English possessive της γυνης ὁ ἀνηρ ὁ πατηρ Μαριας ἡ του Γεωργιου ἀδελφη the woman s husband Maria s father George s sister

14 Posessive Genitive L is possessed or owned by G Translate with an English possessive του κυριου ὁ δουλος ὁ οἰκος Σιμωνος ἡ του Ἀλεξανδρου συκη the master s slave Simon s house Alexander s fig tree

15 Attributive Genitive L has the quality G Make the genitive nominal into an adjective οἰνος του ὑδατος watery wine

16 Genitive of Content G is the content of L full of or filled with οἰκος του βρωματος το του ἰχθυος σκευος του ὑδατος γη a house full of food the vessel filled with fish a land full of water

17 Genitive of Material L is made of or consists of G made of or consisting of τροφη του λεχανου του ὑδατος θαλασσα food made of vegetables a sea consisting of water

18 Epexegetical Genitive L is the same thing or person as G that is Surround with commas Sometimes just surround G with commas γυνη μητρος ἡ τροφη του ἀρτος a woman, that is, a mother the food, the bread,

19 Genitive of Source L comes from G from or that comes from ὁ ἀνθρωπος του Κορινθος ἡ του δενδρου συκη the man from Corinth the fig from the tree

20 Partitive Genitive L is a part (or member) of G that is part of or who belongs to Sometimes just of ὁ ἀνηρ της Ἰσραηλ ἡ του οἰκος θυγατηρ the man who belongs to Israel the daughter of the household

21 8 Common Kinds of Genitive Relation Relationship L has a personal relationship with G English possessive Possession L is owned or possessed by G English possessive Attributive L has the quality G make G an adjective Content G is the content of L full of or filled with Material L is made out of G made from Epexegetical L is the same thing as G that is Source L comes from G from Partitive L is a part of G of or part of

22 Useful Ambiguity Not always one narrow genitive relation Sometimes leave the genitive connection fuzzy Imply a multi-faceted relation concisely Often impossible to translate fully into English Have to use English terms that are narrower ὀ θεος Ἰησου the God in personal relationship with Jesus the God worshipped by Jesus the God whom Jesus represents the God who sent Jesus

23 Genitive Forms of Proper Names Most names are declined in Greek just like other nominals 2 decl. 2 decl. 1 decl. 1 decl. 3 decl. 3 decl. nom. Στεφανος Γεωργιος Φοιβη Μαρια Ἰασων Σιμων gen. Στεφανου Γεωργιου Φοιβης Μαριας Ἰασωνος Σιμωνος voc. Στεφανε Γεωργιε Φοιβη Μαρια Ἰασων Σιμων

24 Genitive Form of Interrogative Pronoun The pronoun τίς is a bit tricky A 3rd declension pronoun Genitive ends in ος Masc. and fem. forms the same Neuter only different in nominative and accusative cases Real stem τίν- shows up in genitive Masc. and Fem. Neut. nom. τίς τί gen. τίνος voc. -

25 Using the Genitive Interrogative Pronoun Asking to whom/what the lead nominal is related By whom is L owned? ("whose?") Τίνος ὁ δουλος οὑτος; Whose slave is this? To whom is L related? ("whose?") Τίνος ἡ θυγατηρ αὑτη; Whose daughter is this? From what/whom does L come? ("from what/whom/where?") Τίνος ὁ καρπος; From where does the fruit come? Τίνος δενδρου ὁ καρπος; From what tree does the fruit come? With what is L made? ( with/out of what? ) Τίνος ὁ οἰκος; Out of what is the house made? Τίνος καρπου οἰνος; With what fruit is wine made?

26 Word Order and the Genitive It can be ambiguous which nominal a genitive phrase is supposed to modify Often have to infer from context.? Ὁ Χριστος σου κυριος. The Messiah is your master. OR Your Messiah is a master.

27 Word Order and the Genitive Rule of thumb Genitive phrase modifies the closest nominal (before or after). Ὁ κυριος Χριστος σου. Your master is the Messiah.

28 Word Order and the Genitive Rule of thumb Genitive phrase modifies the closest nominal (before or after). Σου Ὁ κυριος Χριστος. Ὁ σου κυριος Χριστος. Ὁ κυριος σου Χριστος. Your master is the Messiah. Your master is the Messiah. Your master is the Messiah.

29 Keep Learning You can learn more about Greek cases and the genitive case in particular here: Mounce, Basics of Biblical Greek (3 rd edition) the genitive case, 7.1 (p. 43), (pp ), (pp ), 7.16 (p. 49) kinds of genitive relations, Chapter 7 exegesis, "genitive" (52-53)! Mounce introduces the genitive case together with the dative case, which we will be looking at later. For now, just focus on what he says about the genitive and its forms.